A Prayer For Fathers

Happy Father's Day to all you strong, wonderful fathers out there. Today is your day, and I pray that you enjoy it to the fullest. I salute the young fathers especially who bring their families to church and take care of them during the service. I watch as they go off to the changing room, diaper bag in one hand and baby over their shoulder. That's an example of true fatherhood.

I also want to give a shout out to the fathers in my life - my oldest son Kevin, raising three children on his own since his wife's death. My son-in-law Mike, a strong, devoted father who always makes time to spend with his children and care for their needs. Last, but not least, my husband, TJ. What can I say about him? Even now that his children are grown, he remains a rock of support, wisdom, and strength to them.

I make no apologies for re-posting this article from last Father’s Day because I think it’s one of those evergreen ones. Fathers carry a heavy responsibility on their broad shoulders, and without God to help them carry it, they will collapse under the weight. So, father’s, stepfathers, fathers-in-law, this prayer is for you.

Heavenly Father, when you made man, you brought the woman to him and you said, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth" (Genesis 1: 28). You also provided the means for fathers to take care of their families, and I pray, Lord, that You will continue to equip these men and give them opportunities so they can provide well for their families.

Give them wisdom and direction "to train up their children in the way they should go so that when they are old, they will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22: 6). In their zeal to discipline their children, help fathers to "provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6: 4). 

May they always lead by example so their children can model their lives after a man who is loving but firm, patient but persevering, and who "will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord" (18: 19).

Father God, when tough times come, as they will, help our fathers to draw their strength from You, "to acknowledge you in all their ways, and You shall direct their paths" (Proverbs 3:6). Help them not to be discouraged but to recognize that they "can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4: 13).

Help fathers to model true love and devotion to their wives, may they love them as Christ loves the church, (Ephesians 5 : 25), may they "dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel" (1 Peter 3: 7), so their sons will follow their example when they have wives, and their daughters will know what qualities to look for in the men they will marry.

And I pray, Lord, that You will bless these men and reward their work richly so that when the time comes they will hear the words, "well done thou good and faithful servant"(Matthew 25: 21).

Happy Father's Day!

Just Be Thankful

I hope you had a very enjoyable - and THANKFUL - Thanksgiving holiday yesterday with turkey and all the trimmings and surrounded by your loved ones. Thanksgiving will not be the same without the presence of those you love.

I am spending the weekend with my husband, daughter, son-in-law and their children at my oldest son's house with him and his children. It's one of those rare occasions when I have all my grandchildren under the same roof with me, and I feel very blessed.

You know, this may seem like a simple thing, but when I think of the number of people who have no one to share these special times with, tears come to my eyes.

So, for those of you who have your loved ones around you, please be thankful. Thank God for them and show them that you are thankful for them too.

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And if you are among the fortunate ones who have the weekend off and you are not heading for the malls, why not complete your relaxation with a good book?

Coming Out of Egypt, a story of hope, redemption and restoration, is just .99c on Kindle and free on Kindle Unlimited.

Birthday Thoughts

 

Today is my birthday. I spent it with my husband and daughter visiting the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, a place I'd always wanted to visit. Even though it rained most of the time we were there, I could not have desired a better gift. Exploring the magnificent house and gardens built over a hundred years ago gave us a great deal of pleasure, and being in the company of two of my family members gave me an enjoyment that no amount of rain could dampen.

As we drove home, I reflected on how much I have to thank God for:

1. For sparing my life. Like that old house (maybe not a good comparison - I'm not that old) God has preserved me through the years and saved me from a lot of things that could have shortened my life.

2. For my family. Even though they could not all be here with me on my birthday, my children, grand-children and other relatives called and wished me Happy Birthday.

3. For my friends. Birthday greetings from my friends always give me a warm feeling, but to receive greetings from my social media friends, most of whom I've never met face to face, well, I can't express how special it makes me feel. Technology sometimes gets a bad rap, but God knows why He gave man wisdom to develop it, for without it, many people would be out of touch with the rest of the world.

4. Last, but not least, for my salvation. As I grow older, I can feel secure in the fact that if God calls me home tonight, I would go to meet Him and live with Him forever. I don't have to fear the future or fear death.
Thank you, Lord, for all these blessings. 

Vizcaya Museum

5 Tips For A Joyful Christmas

Joy to the world                                                 

The Lord has come

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart 

Prepare Him room 

And heaven and nature sing (repeat x 2)

Since the Christmas season began, I've sung the above words in church a few times, and ever so often I would find myself humming or singing the song. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite Christmas carols and is quite popular at this time of year. But even though I sing the song, I'm aware that there is not much joy in our world today. For many people Christmas is the saddest and loneliest time of the year. And if you live anywhere on planet earth, you know there are dozens of other reasons for the lack of joy.

So rather than depressing you by telling you what you already know, I've come up with some tips to help you experience some joy this Christmas. 

1. Spend time with the Lord. Yes, I know you pray and read your Bible daily, but at Christmas time we may find ourselves so engulfed in our preparations we may neglect spending some quiet time with God. Don't let this happen. The psalmist said, "In thy presence is fullness of joy ..." Psalm 16: 11.

2. Slow down. This may seem almost impossible, but guess what? You don't have to kill yourself trying to have everything perfect; neither do you have to attend every function to which you are invited; neither do you have to overspend in an attempt to buy gifts for everyone. 

3. Spend time with friends and family. Make it fun, leisurely and stress free. Invite someone who may be alone over for dinner. If you are fortunate to have older relatives around, have them relate stories about "the good old days." They love to do that, and the young people will benefit from a little history lesson.Watch a movie like this one that everyone can enjoy.

4. Share your faith. Don't be afraid to say, "Merry Christmas," to store clerks, co-workers and strangers you meet in the mall. You never know, it may spark some conversation about our Savior.

5. Sing. Yes, sing some Christmas carols. Find a radio station that plays them or go to You Tube where you'll find modern as well as old-fashioned ones. You cannot remain sad when you sing. 

You may be able to think of other ways to infuse some joy into your Christmas, or maybe you have some family traditions that are special to you. Why not share them in the comments box below? And do have a blessed and joyful Christmas. 

Enjoy this video of Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir singing Joy To The World. 

Memories Of My Father

Writing this blog post is not as easy as the one I wrote about my mother a few weeks ago,

reason being that my father passed away when I was just ten years of age, therefore my memories of him are vague. I can't remember his face, but I do remember him being a handsome man, who took great pride in his appearance. I remember him touching up the gray in his hairline and viewing himself in the mirror to make sure he looked impeccable. We had no photographs of him because back then photography was not a common thing, and Daddy did not like taking pictures.

 In addition to being employed in the oilfield, my father was the only shoemaker for miles around, and people came from everywhere to have shoes made or repaired. And he made shoes for me. I was the only little girl in our village who had a pair of shoes to match every dress. I still love shoes to this day.

I think my father enjoyed working in his workshop. We would hear him singing while he pounded his leather, or sewed on the machine, but whenever I went into his shop, he would have the newspaper waiting. He wasn't a storyteller like my mother, but he loved to read. He would point to an article and say, "Read that." After I'd read the article, he would have me spell some words. To this day, I remember his favorite word was "circumstances." By the time I was eight, I could spell that and many other "big words."

I loved going out with my father. He took me to church and other places. I don't remember him having a lot of friends, though. His work, his shoemaking business and his family consumed his life. Then one Sunday morning - I remember it well - my mother woke me to tell me that Daddy had died. I ran into their bedroom and saw  my father stretched out on the bed, eyes closed, looking very much like he was sleeping.

Dead? I threw my arms around his neck. His body was still warm. He couldn't be dead. People were coming to the house and saying things to my mother and to me, but I didn't listen to them. How could Daddy be dead? He'd worked in his shop during the day, and in our little store the night before until late. I had stayed with him, while my mother baked bread and did the other things she usually did on Saturday nights. An intoxicated man had come to the store, acting silly, and my father had escorted him to the road and told him not to come back. Daddy knew how to handle unruly people.

 Even though I am now much older, there are times when I wish I still had my parents, to drink from their fountain of wisdom and love. Still, I thank God for the sweet memories I have of my father, and even though he was with me for such a short time, he helped to shape the person I am today.  I believe I acquired my love for reading and my spelling ability from those times when Daddy had me read and spell words from the newspaper.

 Meanwhile, I have my Heavenly Father watching over me and providing me with all the shoes and whatever else I need. For those of you who still have your dad, thank God for him everyday, and let him know how much you love him. If you don't have a relationship with your father, you can still pray that God will bring you two together, because God does not like division.


God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land. Psalm 68: 6

My prayer for you this Father's Day is that you will enjoy a wonderful day with your earthly father, if you have one, as well as with your Heavenly Father.

Related articles

• Yet, I will rejoice! (Hope for the Fatherless)
• "The Treasure of a Great Dad"
• Happy Fathers Day 2014

A Month Of Thankfulness - My Family, God's Intervention and other things

English: Personal bible study Português: Estudo pessoal da bíblia Italiano: Lo studio personale della bibbia Deutsch: Persönliches Bibelstudium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The weather continues to be a major cause of concern in the US this month. Unusually cold temperatures and snowstorms have resulted in the loss of lives, power outages and a lot of problems for people in some states. In the light of that, our one cold day here in South Florida this week, 48 degrees at daybreak, was a welcome change. But we have had to deal with some rain almost everyday.

You may have heard the saying, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Well, that may have been the case with me this week. I'd been putting off going to Bible Study on Wednesday nights on account of the distance I have to travel to get home after work, and I don't do well with night driving. This Wednesday I determined that nothing was going to stop me.

It rained all day but I was still determined to go. After work, I went to my daughter's house to wait until it was time to leave for Bible Study. She and her husband said to me, "Mummy, we don't like the idea of you going out on a night like this. It's going to be late when you're leaving church and the weather is not nice." And so they convinced me to go home instead.

So why am I writing this in a month of thankfulness? As I was leaving, my daughter went into her bedroom and came back out with some sheets of paper. She said a friend had given her a Bible-reading plan for the year and she had begun to follow it. She said she uses it because she can't make it to Bible Study at her church because of her family commitments. Therefore her Bible Study time is after she drops her kids off to school and before she leaves for work.

I was ecstatic. I had no idea my daughter had been studying her Bible even though I have seen God working in her life this past year. She has been witnessing to people about Jesus Christ, inviting them to church, and last year she and a friend were baptized on the same day. Isn't God wonderful? My two younger sons are not yet saved, but I believe that what God did for my daughter He will do for them as well. In His time.

So this week I am thankful for my family and God's intervention in our lives. What are you thankful for?

Related articles

• For This I am Thankful.....Bible Study
• Bible Reading Plan for 2014, and My Story

Tell Your Children The Christmas Story

Cover of The Story of Jesus (Little Golden Book)

As part of your Christmas celebrations this year, why not set aside some time to tell your children the Christmas story, even if you have done it before? We can never talk too much about how God sent His only begotten Son into the world to save us from our sins. It's a beautiful story and one which we need to keep in the forefront of our children's minds.

The simplest way, of course, would be to sit them down and tell them the story, but for younger children you may have to be a bit more creative. If you feel inadequate to doing this, here are a few hints to make this task not only easier, but fun.

1. Buy your child a picture book that depicts the story of Christmas and read it to him/her. A good choice is The Christmas Story by Jane Werner Watson. It has beautiful artwork and colors that will appeal to a young child.

2. You and your child can build a nativity set using fabric, felt or even decorating bottles to represent the Holy Family. For the enclosure, use a box, some straw, fabric, markers, snow and whatever else you fancy and let your imagination, and your child's, run wild.

3. Now that your child knows the story and you have made your nativity set, the whole family can dress up in costumes - you don't have to buy these, sheets and scarves will do - and re-enact the Christmas story on Christmas Eve night or whenever you choose. By the time you get through, the story of Jesus' birth, it will be indelibly impressed on your child's mind. This may become a family tradition.

Jesus said, "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me:  for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19: 14).

What Does The Ideal Father Look Like?

I once heard a man say that people make far more fuss over Mother's Day than they do Father's Day. Well, according to statistics, Father's Day spending seems to be on the heels of Mother's Day figures by around five billion dollars. And Dad is not just getting neckties and socks anymore. He is getting high end products like ipads, cell phones and golf clubs.

That is all very good, but what do we want from Dad? When I listen to a lot of men speak, they don't seem to have had much of a relationship with their fathers. And that's a shame, because fathers are, or ought to be, the backbone of the home - the one who keeps it from falling apart. It is no secret that children from homes where the father is absent, physically or emotionally, are more likely to drop out of school and/or end up in jail or on the streets. Sadly, a disproportionate number of African American homes fall into this category.

So what does the ideal father do to keep his home strong and stable? As always, the answers are in the Bible. The ideal father:

1. Builds his house upon the rock. Jesus said, "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock" (Matthew 7: 24 - 25).

What was Jesus referring to? He was referring to the storms of life that we all inevitably experience. The father who builds his house on the foundation of God's word does not have to fear the storms. His house will remain strong, no matter how much the storms rage.

2. Demonstrates love. Not just to his kids, but to those around him. He treats his wife like a queen; he does not abuse her or speak harshly to her, but loves her "as Christ loves the church." When his sons see that, they will follow his example. The ideal father demonstrates love to his children by the way he disciplines them - with love. The Bible says, "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath : but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6 : 4).

3. Gives. The ideal father gives to his family, his community and his church. He is not mean or stingy, but gives liberally of all that he has. He works hard to provide well for his family, but he also gives of his time. No amount of toys or gifts can replace the time a man spends with his family. The father who takes his sons fishing, his wife and/or daughters to the mall (yes, to the mall) or just hangs out with them on a weekend is more appreciated than the one who lavishes them with expensive gifts and then disappears until Sunday night. 

Being a father is no easy task, neither is it to be taken for granted. In order to be a good father a man needs to be equipped. There is only one training manual for that - the word of God. Fathers, read it daily. Feast on it day and night. Pray to God; He is the only ideal Father, but if you ask Him, He will give you the wisdom and strength to fulfill this exciting role. Call on Him today. Happy Father's Day! 

What's In Your Ziplock Bag?

In my last post I wrote about overcoming tiredness. I spoke about the busyness that has taken over our modern lifestyle, leaving us tired and irritable. If you did not read this post, you can read it here. Someone may argue that this cannot be helped, that our family, our work, our leisure pursuits all have to be taken care of, and that may be true, but when they begin to encroach on your relationship with God, then there is a problem.

When I first thought of writing this post, I visualized a ziplock bag full of little balls, representing the way we spend our time, each ball with a label, none of them having anything to do with God. There may even be a few ungodly balls.  Such is the life of a person who has allowed himself to be taken over by the things of the world. If you are a follower of Christ, your ziplock bag should contain more godly balls than secular ones.  

As a Christian, your first and utmost responsibility should be nurturing and strengthening your relationship with God. Everything else should take second place.

Jesus said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10: 37).

On one occasion when He called a man to come and follow Him and the man asked to be allowed to first go and bury his father, Jesus replied, "Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead"( Matthew 8: 22).

Was Jesus being callous or uncaring? No. He was only trying to teach us how to prioritize our lives. He said, "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat , or what ye shall drink ; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on . Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" (Matthew 6 : 25).    

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (v 33).

In other words, put God first and everything else will fall into place.

 The danger in allowing ourselves to put other things first is that we don't realize when they begin to replace God in our lives. Like weeds in a garden, they can easily overgrow and choke out our godly lifestyle if we are not vigilant. Our family, our work, our interests are all important in themselves, but they should not be allowed to erode God's place in our lives. 

If you find yourself being too busy or too tired to pray, study the word or even go to church, then you are in trouble. Step back and take a critical look inside your ziplock bag today. If it's chock full of things that don't pertain to a godly lifestyle, toss them into the garbage and fill it with the things of God. 

What Makes Us Evil?

From the very beginning of the world there was evil.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Genesis 6 : 5 - 6.

That, to me, is one of the saddest verses in the Bible. To think that God, after making man in His own image and likeness should repent that He had made man. We had become so evil that even our Maker was grieved at our depravity. Can you imagine what He must be saying today? 

In every part of the world men take the time to carefully plot and carry out evil deeds. Here in the US it seems that evil is visiting us more and more frequently. Psychologists and researchers have found that the brain of psychopaths is different from the rest of the population. That there is a deformity in a part of the brain called the amygdala, which is the seat of emotion. Psychopaths lack emotion. Their actions are cold and calculated and they show little or no remorse for the things they do. 

So where does that leave us? Should we just sit back and say oh, well, these people can't help their actions? Or, is the evil person doomed to stay that way?  Psalm 34 : 14 says, "Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." If God's word commands us to depart from evil, then it can be done. People who have committed themselves to carrying out evil deeds can have their lives turned around by the grace of God. 

Even researchers agree that children born with a damaged amygdala do not have to grow up to become psychopaths. Criminologist Nathalie Fontaine of Indiana University states,  "We can still help them. We can implement intervention to support and help children and their families, and we should." Another psychologist said, "Biology is not destiny." She said that children do not have to have brain surgery, they can be helped through "social" intervention.

The church is a part of society, isn't it? We can reach out to our youth who may be at risk and pray for them; we can speak to parents and teachers and use the power of the Holy Spirit to help these families.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted . Galatians 6 : 1. 

Ye which are spiritual, that means us, Christians. We are to do our best to restore or help to bring about change in those people. Can we? Will we?  

Redefining The Family

This past week one of my young co-workers broke the news that she was pregnant. We were all happy for her and told her so, but after the excitement died down, I felt a tinge of sadness. You see, my friend is unmarried and her baby's father lives in another country. Another young member of our team is also pregnant with her second child and has no intention of getting married any time soon.

In the first instance, my friend does have plans of joining her boyfriend at some time. They had been talking of marriage, but she didn't want to leave her dog, who is very old, and he didn't want to leave his country. They both agreed that when her dog dies they would make it legal. But meanwhile, a baby is on the way.

In another instance, the daughter of one of my friends decided that she wanted to have a baby because her biological clock was ticking away and she wasn't married or dating anyone. So off she went and had a baby by artificial insemination.

Do you see a pattern here? More and more women are taking it on themselves to have children outside of wedlock. Which brings me to another increasingly popular trend. Homosexual couples adopting babies or having babies through artificial means. All of this goes against God's plan for the family as laid out in the book of Genesis.

 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him (Genesis 2 : 18). 

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said , This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.  And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (22 - 25). 


I love the picture of God, our Father giving his daughter Eve to her husband Adam. It is the pattern we follow in a marriage ceremony where the father escorts his daughter to the altar and gives her to her husband to be joined in holy matrimony. Then they have children. Not the other way around. 

There are some single mothers who are probably doing a better job than their married counterparts. But I'm sure the single ones will be the first to admit that their job is a very difficult one. God never meant for us to carry the load alone. Just as a tasty dish requires a mixture of spices to bring out its true flavor, just so the family benefits from the unique strengths, abilities and personality that a man and a woman bring to it.

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female (6 : 19).

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall , the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth ; for he hath not another to help him up (Ecclesiastes 4 : 9 - 10).

The family, as instituted by God, is His plan for the furtherance of His kingdom on this earth and for our well-being. God has been around a lot longer than any of us and He knows what is best for us. So let us not go reshaping and redefining everything He created. We are only destroying ourselves in the process. Can we change course?

Do You Have The Courage?

Last night I watched one of the most courageous, hair-raising, death-defying stunts ever undertaken. Nik Wallenda walked his way on a tightrope over the Niagara Falls from the USA to Canada, in weather conditions that were less than perfect. Maybe you watched it too. What were your thoughts? Did you fear for his life? Did you think he was foolhardy to attempt such a feat? To put his wife and children through the anguish of wondering if he would make it alive?

Those and other thoughts must have run through your mind and the minds of the hundreds of thousands who viewed this history-making event. As this daring young man made his way on that wet, shaky rope, I was reminded of the story of Peter walking on the water. Peter was doing okay - until he looked down. Still, we commend him for having the courage to jump out of that boat on a dark and stormy night.

Most of us may never attempt anything close to what Nik Wallenda did last night, but maybe you are walking the tightrope of life and you feel like any moment you might fall off. The mist of uncertainty thickens around you so you can't see what lies ahead; the winds of adversity buffet you from all sides and you cannot trust the rope beneath your feet. We can all learn some lessons from Nik.





1. Trust God. Nik and his family prayed together before he climbed on to that rope, and while he was walking we could hear him saying, "Thank you, Jesus, thank you, Lord. I praise you, Father." As I prayed along with him, I felt assured that he would make it. Not only did he put his trust in God, but he acknowledged Him publicly. It is important to let others know where your confidence lies.

2. Garner support. Nik comes from a long line of daredevils, dating back to the 1700s. Only three Wallendas lost their lives during stunts, the latest being Nik's great-grandfather in 1978. Nik's family was behind him all the way, although Nik's eleven-year-old son caved in at the last moment as he listened to the media talk about the possible dangers. However, Nik's father, a retired wire-walker, spoke with Nik through a microphone for most of the walk, giving gentle reassurance and tips. Nik's uncle, an engineer, who worked on the wire was also present, as well as a host of government officials. When you are on a tightrope, it helps to have the support of your family, friends, your church and maybe even some community agencies. You cannot do it alone.

3. Don't give up. This was Nik's advice to the world once he'd landed safely on Canadian soil. He said that we should follow our dreams, despite the challenges that confront us. And again, he urged us to trust God to give us the courage and strength to fulfill those dreams. At one point when Nik's father asked him how he was doing, he replied, "My hands are getting numb and my feet feel weak," but like the apostle Paul, Nik kept his eyes on the prize.


4. Give God the glory. After we have got off the tightrope, some of us forget where we've been. But let's remember we couldn't do it without Him. Nik dropped to his knees just a few feet from the tower and blew a kiss to the crowd, then once he'd cleared immigration (yes, he had to do that!) Nik attributed his stunning success to God. He again urged viewers to trust God to provide whatever we need.

Is Your Dad Perfect?

Photo credit: manuere from morguefile.com Some people may answer  "yes" to this question, but I know some, men especially, who will give an unequivocal "no." It always saddens me when I hear the latter. My own father, who departed this life when I was just a little girl, was my hero. He taught me to read and spell while he indulged his hobby/part-time occupation -shoemaking. Needless to say, I had shoes to match every dress, and love shoes to this day.

My father also cultivated in me a love for reading and I became a good speller. I enjoyed going places with him, and when I heard his voice in the front yard in the evening, I would leave my mother and run to meet him. She often complained that I loved my father more than I did her, which wasn't true, of course. I was just fascinated with him - his voice, his smile, his jokes. The only bad thing I can recall about my dad is that he left me too soon. Late at night, quite suddenly and without warning. Died of a stroke in his sleep.

So, what about your dad? Is he flawless in your eyes? A man's man? A woman's man? As head of the home, fathers carry a heavy responsibility. They are entrusted with the task of providing, protecting and caring for the home and family. The mother is the one who nurtures, comforts and keeps the home together. However, a real father assumes the mother's role as well. The father who confronts the school bully is the same father who takes his little girl on his lap and reads her a bedtime story. Or tucks her in at night. Or takes her to the doctor when she is ill.

Sadly, some dads do not measure up to the ideal. Some walk out on their families and never look back. Others stay in the home, provide and protect but do little else. We need to pray for these fathers. I think of King David, a mighty man of God, but his track record as a father left a lot to be desired. His son, Amnon, raped his daughter Tamar (2 Samuel 13: 10 - 18) and even though the Bible says David was furious (v 21) he did nothing about it. Absalom, David's other son, had Amnon executed to avenge what he had done to his sister.

Later, Absalom fled from David and they didn't see each other for two years. Eventually, Absalom tried to take the throne from David and to murder him, but Absalom himself was killed. On hearing the news, David wept bitterly. "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you--O Absalom, my son, my son!" (18: 33).

Many thoughts run through my mind when I think of David. After his sin with Bathsheba, the prophet, Nathan, told him, "Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house ..." (12: 10). Oh, if David only knew the weight of those words. As a father, his sins fell not only on him, but on his children. Fathers, do not let this happen to you. The Bible says, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Provide, protect and care for your family, but make sure you obey God's word. Happy Father's Day!